Piping Components

AN INTRODUCTION

SUMMARY

1. What is a Piping System? 2. What are Piping Components? 3. Piping Component Classification 4. Typical Applications

Piping System
Conveys fluid between locations
Piping system includes:

Pipe Fittings (e.g. elbows, reducers, branch connections, etc.) Flanges, gaskets, bolting Valves Pipe supports Support structures Equipment

Piping system does not include:

Pipe
A hollow cylinder or tube used to conduct a liquid, gas, or finely divided solid
Materials used for Pipe

Steel and Wrought Iron Pipe

Used to carry water, steam, oil, and gas Commonly used under high pressures and temperatures

Cast Iron Pipe

Often installed underground to carry water, gas, and sewage

Copper tubing
Used in plumbing and heating and where vibration and misalignments are factors such as in automotive, hydraulic, and pneumatic design

Plastic Pipe
Often used in chemical industry due to its resistance to corrosion and chemicals Not recommended where heat or pressure is a factor

Pipe (continued)
Pipe Sizing

Pipe is normally identified by "nominal pipe size" or NPS and its wall thickness is referred to by schedule number or weight NPS maintains a uniform outside dia while varying the inside dia

Pipe (continued)
Methods of Joining Pipe

Butt-Weld Joint
Lines NPS 2" and larger are usually butt-welded Used where connection will be permanent and on high pressure and temperature lines Weld metal may intrude inside of the piping. This may affect flow in services of fibrous material that may build up and clog the piping

Socket Welded or Screwed joint

Used commonly on lines of NPS 1 " and smaller Socket welding is advantageous over screwed connections in that the absence of leakage is assured No chance of weld material entering the bore of the pipe The 1/16" recess in the joint holds or pockets liquid

Pipe (continued)
Methods of Joining Pipe

Bolted flange joint

Used to bolt to flange nozzles on equipment and for process lines that require periodic inspection and/or cleaning Made by bolting together two flanges and have a gasket placed in between them to create a leak proof seal Flanges are expensive

Pipe Fittings
Produce change in geometry
Fittings are used to:

Change a pipe's direction Connect two or more pipes Change pipe size Extend or terminate pipe runs Elbows (ells)
Most common are 90 and 45 deg elbows, but are also available in 22 and 60 deg

Fittings that change a pipe's direction

Pipe Fittings (continued)

Mitered Elbows
Constructed as required from pipe and are not true fittings Use is limited to low pressure lines 10" and larger where pressure drop is unimportant In a 3 piece mitered, 90 degree elbow the flow resistance is double the resistance of a regular 90 degree continuous elbow

Bends
Bends are constructed from straight pieces of pipe Commonly they are bends of 3 and 5 times the NPS of the pipe, referred to as 3R or 5R

180 deg returns

Usually found in the construction of heating coils and vent on the top of storage tanks

Pipe Fittings (continued)

Fittings that Connect two or more pipes

Tees
Offer the most varieties of any type of fitting For reducing tees, the branch and/or one end of the thru section is a smaller diameter than the inlet

Crosses
If the branch line passes through the tee, the fitting becomes a Cross

Wyes
Wyes are similar to tees except that the branch line is angled to reduce friction, typically at a 45-degree

Pipe Fittings (continued)

Fittings that Connect two or more pipes

Olets
Used as an alternative branch connection and do not require any reinforcements Make a 90 degree branch as either full size or reduced off of a straight pipe Weldolets allow closer manifolding then tees permit The socket weld version is called a sockolet and the threaded is called threadolet

Stub-in
Term used in welding a branch pipe run into the side of the main piping run, and is not a true fitting The most common and cheapest approach for pipes 2" and larger

Pipe Fittings (continued)

Fittings that change pipe size

Reducers
Used to join a larger pipe to a smaller pipe Can be couplings, tees, ells, or wyes, where one end is smaller than the other Both ends are female

Swages
Used to connect butt welded piping to smaller screwed or socket welded piping

Bushings
Serve the same purpose as reducers except that they have one male and one female end They are virtually invisible once installed

Pipe Fittings (continued)

Fittings that extend or terminate pipe runs

Couplings
Connect pipe to pipe Usually have tiny ridges or "stops" on the inside to seat the pipe

Adapters
Are similar to couplings, but they connect different types of pipe

Unions
Are three-part mechanical fittings that connect any two standard size pipe in such a way that they may be disconnected and reassembled with a pipe wrench

Caps and Plugs

End a run of pipe by closing it off with a leak tight seal

Flanges
A flange allows two pipes to be mechanically connected together, or a pipe to be mechanically connected to a valve, tee or other piece of equipment
Flange Principal

The principle of a flange is to use a mechanical force (exerted by the bolts) to pre-load the gasket sufficiently so that when internal pressure is applied, there is enough contact stress between the flanges and gasket to maintain a seal.

Flanges (continued)
Flange Rating

Identifies acceptable pressure/temperature combinations Flange strength is based on dimensions and material used Seven classes (150, 300, 400, 600, 900, 1,500, 2,500) Flange strength increases with class number

Flanges (continued)
Flange Facings

The most commonly used facings are:

Flange Types:

Weld neck Flange

The most common type of flange used for high pressure applications They are recognized by their long tapered hub

Flanges (continued)

Slip-On Flange
Fits over the pipe and is then welded Requires two welds Their calculated strength under internal pressure is approximately two-thirds that of welding neck flanges Only available in smaller pressure ratings/diameters. Used in lieu of welding necks when cost or space is a major consideration.

Socket Weld Flange

Their internal pocket allows for a smooth bore and better fluid flow. They are ideal for small diameter high pressure applications.

Flanges (continued)

Lap Joint Flange

Primarily employed with lap joint stubs Combined initial cost of the two items being approximately one-third higher than that of comparable welding neck flanges The ability to swivel flanges and to align bolt holes simplifies the erection of large diameter or unusually stiff piping

Threaded Flange
Confined to special applications Chief merit lies in the fact that they can be assembled without welding Are unsuited for conditions involving temperature or bending stresses of any magnitude, particularly under cyclic conditions where leakage through the threads may occur

Flanges (continued)

Blind Flange
Used to blank off the ends of piping, valves and pressure vessel opening Blind flanges, particularly in the larger sizes, are the most highly stressed of all flange types

Orifice Flange
Used in conjunction with orifice meters for measuring the rate of flow of liquids and gases Are basically the same as standard welding neck and slip-on flanges except for the provision of radial, tapped holes in the flange ring for meter connections and additional bolts to act as jack screws to facilitate separating the flanges for inspection or replacement of the orifice plate

Gaskets and Bolts

Gasket

A sealing device used between two parts to prevent leakage Made from resilient material compressed by bolts to create seal Types include inside-the-bolt circle (no bolt holes) and full face (with bolt holes and the same diameter as the flange) A threaded fastener Provides the required tension for making the seal

Bolt

Valves

Pipe Supports
Pipe hangers and supports are devices which transfer the loads from the pipe to the supporting structure or equipment

Pipe Support Configurations

Pipe supports are designed to constrain pipe motion in one, two, or three space coordinates

Common Pipe Support Types

Steel Bracket

A cantilever device intended for supporting a gravity load A U-shaped rod with threaded ends used as a support or guide.

U Bolt Clamp

Pipe Supports (continued)

Rod Hanger

Probably the most common type, that attaches to the pipe by a U bolt or clevis and clamps to structural steel above A pipe attachment for suspension of horizontal stationary insulated lines A pipe attachment for suspension of horizontal stationary lines by bolting the clip directly to a structure. Also referred to as a pipe strap or strap A device having a curved base for cradling horizontal pipe

Steel Pipe Clamp

Pipe Clip

Pipe Saddle